Rules and Regulations

Since Sean Ferguson and his companions had ostensibly just followed the rules, no official punishment could be meted out. But Sunday before dinner, the Headmistress had given a speech. Almost two hours Professor McGonagall had talked about social and civil courage, about rules and regulations and moral imperatives. When she finished, a mere ten minutes were left for dinner…

…and thanks to Alina the whole school knew who was to blame.

oooOooo

Before joining the exodus from the Great Hall after lunch on Wednesday, Adrastus Alger and Percely Parkinson waved feebly at Gilly, Prue, and Alina. An imperious gesture at her parchment said clearly that she expected a full report as soon as they were done.

Done in, more likely, Addy groused to himself. He and Perce were the only 'Knights' who had to attend Potions study group among the Fifth Years. Alina was thrilled to have inside sources—Addy would be thrilled if he survived today's session with Snape.

The students approached the dungeons with the enthusiasm of convicted prisoners on their way to the gallows. Covert glances followed them to the stairs. Smirks accompanied Sean Cúchulainn Ferguson's every step. Sean was sweating profusely; his complexion had acquired the unhealthy look of mouldy plaster.

As fate would have it, the schedule of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fifth years gave Sean a lot of time to look forward to meeting Professor Snape that week: they first saw him during study group on Wednesday afternoon, and then again for class on Thursday and Friday.

Monday evening, Barret 'Crudass' Cruddace ruled supreme overseeing a sizable betting pool on just how Sean Cúchulainn Ferguson would survive the week. Tuesday morning, Sean was beginning to show signs of strain.

oooOooo

Trudging down the stairs, Addy glanced at Perce. "Hurry up, we don't want to be tardy today."

The Hufflepuff nodded, and they jostled their way into the middle of their group. When they reached the dungeons corridor, Addy jerked his head in Sean's direction, who was walking at the front. "At least he's got guts."

Percely's Adam's apple bobbed convulsively. "Arrogant jerk."

"That, too."

In the dungeon, everyone scrambled to sit down as swiftly and silently as possible. Addy's stomach tightened with a faint sensation of nausea. He could glimpse beads of sweat glistening on Sean's forehead.

Then the door between the classroom and Snape's office opened. With a menacing rustle of his robes, the Potions master swept in and sat down behind his desk.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen," he greeted them softly. "I trust you are all well … prepared?"

Almost casually, his gaze swept over his students, six boys, three girls. Suddenly he turned his head and focused on Sean. "And what do I have to see here, Mr. Ferguson? What is that thing in your ear?"

Addy frowned. Sean had worn an earring since his third year.

Sean gulped before he could answer. "An earring, sir."

"What was that?" Snape hissed.

Sean blinked, confused. Obviously he had no idea what Snape was getting at, either. Addy held his breath.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I hear that rules are very dear to your heart, Mr. Ferguson. Quite a commendable attitude in a young man, may I say that? I am all the more disappointed to find that you don't even know the proper form of address for a Master of his Art teaching at this school. That would be—" Snape smiled almost gently. "Fifty points from Ravenclaw." Addy could see how a shiver ran down Sean's spine.

"Well?" Snape asked silkily.

"It—it is an—an earring, Illustrious Master," Sean choked out. The eyes of the Muggle-born students grew wide. Obviously they'd never heard the ancient address of a guild master before.

"Tut, tut, tut. How very disappointing, Mr. Ferguson. Since you hold rules and regulations so dear, I would have surmised that you are aware of the proper manner of address for a teacher at this school … according to the code of conduct of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Snape tapped his long index-finger on an ancient tome that rested on his desk in front of him. "Another fifty points from Ravenclaw." Snape smiled. "Well?"

Sean stumbled out from behind his desk. Stiff and sweating, he stood at the ready in front of Snape's desk.

"It is an earring, Illustrious Master," he stammered.

"So it is, so it is," Snape purred, black eyes glittering. "And what, pray-tell, does the code of conduct say about excessive personal ornamentation, Mr. Ferguson?"

"I—" Sean gulped again. "I—don't know—Illustrious Master."

"You don't know." Snape slowly shook his head. "How. Sad."

The only other Ravenclaw present, a Muggle-born girl, winced. Addy was not surprised, when Snape added, "And another fifty points from Ravenclaw."

Suddenly a wand appeared in the teacher's hand. "Now allow me to enlighten you about the exact content of the rules, Mr. Ferguson."

With a muffled moan, Sean grabbed at his ear.

"You see, Mr. Ferguson, the rules demand that I provide you with the opportunity to experience the full weight of your vanity. Literally. Your inordinate adornment was transfigured into stone. Stone ten times the weight of the original gimcrack. Please do not try to remove it—it is Stuck to your skin so you can repent your fulsome vanity at leisure."

oooOooo

When Adrastus and Percely emerged from the dungeons, a crowd was gathered in front of the hourglasses.

Within just two hours, Ravenclaw's magnificent mountain of three hundred and thirty-seven points had diminished to a minor mole-hill of a mere eighty-seven sapphires. A gleeful Crudass was counting his winnings, while Alina greeted them with a broad grin.

AND? she mouthed.

"Turns out that Sean there doesn't know all that much about school rules," Addy replied, scribbling the words on a frayed parchment for Alina.

"And to be perfectly honest," he added with a weary grin of his own, "I would have been a tad disappointed if Snape didn't know them just a bit better than that fuckwit."

oooOooo

A/N: Adrastus Alger is a Gryffindor and a member of the "Little Knights". Percely Parkinson is Pansy's little brother, the only Hufflepuff of his family, and also a member of the "Little Knights".

"Illustrious Master" is a play on forms of address used in certain historical Orders and Guilds.

Many thanks to Juniperus for helping me come up with ideas for Snape acting as a stickler for historical rules and regulations obviously no longer enforced at Hogwarts nowadays ...

I hope you enjoyed today's set of episodes!